The Queen thought Buckingham Palace prowler Michael Fagan was a 'drunk member of staff', her former protection officer has revealed. including a jail term in 1997 when he was charged alongside his wife and 20-year-old son for conspiring to supply heroin. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Michael Fagan now | What really happened with Queen's bedroom intruder You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. He served four years in prison. huffilypuff 2 yr. ago. I didnt frighten her too much but I was quite shocked," he told of the moment he pulled back the bed curtains to discover Queen Elizabeth asleep in her bed. Michael Fagan Obituary (2010) - Hudson, MA - The Hudson Sun - Legacy.com It was like Goldilocks and the Three Bears; I tried one throne and was like 'this one's too soft'. In the summer of 1982, Michael Fagan managed to break into Buckingham Palace more than once, and even ended up in the Queen's bedroom and spoke to Her Majesty before being taken into custody. The fourth episode of The Crown's fourth season focuses on the biggest breach in royal security in the 20th century: The day Michael Fagan (played by Tom Brooke), a 32-year-old Irishman living in London, snuck into the Queen's bedroom in Buckingham Palace. What Happened to Michael Fagan After He Snuck Into the Queen's Bedroom? Fagan wasn't impressed by what he saw. Born 1950 in Clerkenwell, London, Michael Fagan was the oldest of three children. But I couldn't find a door which said WC, Fagan told The Independent UK. Known for his high backswing, he was given the nickname "King of Swing". In 2012, Emma Thompson starred as the Queen in an episode of Playhouse Presents, a series of one-off dramas, centered entirely around the break-in. Help came in the form of a footman, who stood watch until police arrived. The Queen tells her: 'He wasn't violent. He also spoke of entering the post room. I got into Charles' room and took the wine off the shelf and [drank] it. The Crown accurately depicts Fagan's path to the Queen's bedroombut fictionalizes what happened after he really got there. Mike Fagan - Wikipedia But what was the real story behind their meeting? Here's what actually happened then and where Fagan ultimately ended up. He consequently served four years in prison. The book also described how Fagan's thumb was cut, and "dripped" blood onto the Queen's "bedclothes" (as reviewed in The Times on 29th September 1983). It wasn't his last time in court. An alarm sensor had detected him inside the palace, but police again thought the alarm was faulty and silenced it. Back then, trespassing was only a civil offense rather than a criminal one. Nearly four decades later, it continues to loom large in the cultural imaginationso much so that it has become the subject of a season four episode of Netflixs The Crown. If she does, I'll send her a hundredth-birthday telegram," he told The Independent. He was sent for treatment (as a patient rather than criminal) at a secure psychiatric hospital in Liverpool on Tuesday 5th October 1982, according to newspaper reports the following day. From there, he spent some time wandering through the palace, including twice triggering the alarm system while he perused King George V's stamp collection. In court, Fagan even claimed that he had "done the Queen a favour" by exposing the lax security measures (as reported by The Times on September 24th 1982). During his visit, he broke a glass ashtray, cutting his hand. He served four years in prison. Fagan claimed that his famous palace break-in on 9th July 1982 was in reality his second break-in, meaning he managed to sneak into Buckingham Palace not once, but twice within the space of almost exactly a month. Over the years, Fagan has been charged with theft, assaulting a police officer, indecent exposure, and dealing drugs. Marine businesses sue Army Corps, others for railroad bridge control On June 7, 1982, Fagan, whose wife had just left him, climbed through a maid's bedroom window into Buckingham Palace with one mission in mind: to use the restroom. According to, well, Fagan himself: In a recent interview with The Telegraph, he recounted that they didnt converse for very long at all. According to The Washington Post, Fagan's break-ins didn't come as the result of a whim. Fagan famously managed to scale the Palace walls before. He added, "Her nightie was one of those Liberty prints and it was down to her knees. However, there are some biographical details omitted. For her to be dragged through the dirt by me isn't nice. Michael Fagan Obituary (2015) - Portland, OR - The Oregonian - Legacy.com In another scene,Fagan breaks in again by smashing a window, before strolling through the palace and into the Queen's bedroom. Looking for something else to watch? Shes destroying the country, he says of Thatcher. He was barefoot, unshaven, and wearing only a sweatshirt and jeans. Kate Fagan [born on November 15, 1981] is an American author, reporter, and commentator. It is one of the Royal family's most infamous incidents: the story of how an unemployed Londoner, Michael Fagan, broke into Buckingham Palace and entered the Queen's bedroom while she was in bed and had a conversation with her, covered in The Crown season four, episode five. "It was very ordinary. "Nah! he scoffs at the notion of a long conversation with Her Majesty. Try 12 issues for 1 today - never miss an issue. The people that wrote The Crown, they've got an agenda. Merely a month after his acquittal, Fagan appeared in court again on charges of vehicle theft; he was then committed to a maximum security mental institution in Liverpool for three months. . He found a bottle of Australian wine in the cabinet and poured himself a drink. She's destroying the country.'. According to The Crown, it takes palace intrusion for the Queen to have an unvarnished conversation with a commoner, and hear about life on the ground. 05:46 EDT 19 Nov 2020 The first time he snuck into Buckingham Palace, Fagan roamed freely. Uninvited visitors, though? Fagan himself has since described the Queen's bedroom interior, right down to the size of her bed and the details of her knee-length nightgown; but again, he said nothing to suggest that the pair shared a conversation while he was sat on her bed. This content is imported from vimeo. A police report heavily criticised of the officers on duty and the security systems in place. Soon after, Fagan received a psychiatric evaluation, and spent three months in a psychiatric hospital. He claimed that he had not entered the palace with this intention but that it formed in his mind for the first time when he saw the ashtray.". Michael Fagan Is Still Infamous for His Buckingham Palace Break-In . Contemporary newspaper reports do seem to suggest, however, that Fagan got very close to the Queen's bed (even if he didn't sit on it). What Really Happened With Michael Fagan And the Queen? - Refinery29 The Crown's Michael Fagan admitted he was 'high on - Express Stream Season 4 of The Crown on Netflix now. In the first anteroom to the Queens chambers, Fagan hatched a plan to slit his wrists in front of Her Majesty. Queen's bedroom intruder describes moment he broke in - and the 'shoddy' decor - Mirror Online. He has also participated in World Bowling Tour (WBT) and European Bowling Tour (EBT) events, and as a member of Team USA in international competitions. I didnt see anybody, all that ducking and diving. Story Behind The 'Palace Prowler' Michael Fagan From The Crown - Tyla Fagan tells her he just 'wants to tell her what's going on in the countrybecause either "she doesn't know or doesn't care". The Times' lead front-page story on Tuesday 13th July 1982 (titled 'Gaps in palace security thrown up by intruder') revealed that for his second break-in, Fagan climbed into the palace via an unchecked window in the offices of Vice Admiral Sir Peter Ashmore, the Master of the Household. Looming over her bed was a mysterious intruder, unkempt, barefooted, and slightly tipsy, who had wrenched back the canopy surrounding her bed with a bloody hand. How a Drunk Man Broke into Queen Elizabeth's Buckingham Palace - People The True Story of Queen Elizabeth and Michael Fagan, the Palace Fagan is pleased with the performance of Tom Brooke, but jokes, Al Pacino would have been better. Yet all these years later, Fagan has no regrets. He began working as a painter and decorator, and in 1972, he married partner Christine, with whom he had four children. before going to seek help. Netflix took a lot of liberties depicting his conversation with the Queen. In 1972 he married his wife, Christine, with whom he would go on to have four children. With a shard of the broken ashtray in hand, he entered the Queens bedroom, opened the curtains surrounding her bed, and sat down on the foot of the bed. The fifth episode of the new series, which launched on Sunday, opens with global news reports of a break-in at Buckingham Palace: an intruder had climbed over a fence and into the palace grounds, before scaling a drainpipe and entering the royal quarters. Sign up to receive the freshest reviews and recommendations for Streaming & On Demand. Bud Light is now accused of 'cowardice' for turning off YouTube comments on new 'countrified' commercial - and Liz Truss 'will pay for anything missing' from Chevening estate after being sent a 12,000 bill that included Women's rights activists led by Posie Parker face off with pro-trans campaigners during rally at Speakers' FBI joins manhunt for Texas killer who has been on the run for 36 hours after murdering family of five - Meat is crucial for human health, scientists say as they call for end to the 'zealotry' pushing vegetarian and Nurse who had just finished her shift is killed in horror car crash along with two other women as boy, 13, is 'He started shooting and left without remorse': Mississippi teen who hosted after-prom party where two were shot 'The Dingoes' frontman and musician Broderick Smith dies 'peacefully' at the age of 75. However, Fagan did go on to commit more crimes. Keep in mind that almost the entire episode is a fictional account of Fagan's life and mindset. 'The Crown': The True Story Behind Buckingham Palace's Michael Fagan Fagan's first entry into the palace happened in early June 1982. They don't know what happened in there," he told The Telegraph. In 1997, Fagan, his wife, and their 20-year-old son were charged with conspiring to sell heroin. The True Story of Michael Fagan's Infamous Buckingham Palace Break In From The Crown, The True Story of Mountbatten's Assassination, Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux Open Up, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. I found the Michael Fagan incident heartbreaking - Reddit On . People who have done marvelous things get to kneel in front of her to be honored, Fagan said, but I actually sat on her bed and almost got to talk to her., In a 2012 interview, Fagan was asked if he had a message for the Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee, a national celebration marking her sixty years on the throne. Breaking into the home of the British monarch, let alone Her Majesty's bedroom while she sleeps, should be no mean feat; which is why when a man managed to do just that with relatively little effort in 1982, it kicked off one of the biggest security scandals in British history. A little over a month later, following an arrest and a brief stint in jail for stealing a car, Fagan returned to Buckingham Palace merely a day after being released on bail. Did Michael Fagan really break into the Queen's bedroom? The story actually begins about a month before the July incident, when Fagan (whom youll come to see as something of an unreliable narrator) claims he broke into Buckingham Palace for the first time on June 7, 1982, the day his wife left him. A lavish wedding followed and in June 1982 Diana gave birth to William. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. He had a heart attack and had COVID-19 in 2020. "Her nightie was one of those Liberty prints and it was down to her knees. [1], Michael Fagan was born in Clerkenwell, London, on 8 August 1948,[2] the son of Ivy and Michael Fagan, Sr.[1] His father was a steel erector and a "champion" safe-breaker. Michael Fagan twice entered Buckingham Palace by scaling the fence. Apr. Her wife is Kathryn Budig and they tied the knot on 4 October 2018. Fagan was arrested but wasn't charged with trespassing because it was a civil offence and would have compromised the Queen's role as head of state if she had to appear in court to give evidence. His longest prison stint came in 1997, after Fagan, his wife, and 20-year-old son were charged with dealing heroin. Michael Fagan (born 8 August 1948) is a British citizen who intruded into Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom in Buckingham Palace in 1982. He also had two younger sisters, Marjorie and Elizabeth. The Queen may not be eager to hear from Faganbut hey, at least hes not planning another unscheduled visit to Buckingham Palace. The right to work, the right to be ill, the right to be old, the right to be frail, to be humangone.. As for Fagan, he suffered no criminal charges in connection with the second break-in, as trespassing was a civil law violation in Britain, but not a crime. Fagan and the Queen's conversation is one of the most fascinating, layered exchanges in The Crown. According to The Time, Grant "stretched the doctrine of constituency interest to grotesque lengths by claiming that the fact that Mr Michael Fagan lived in Islington gave Mr Grant a constituency interest in the bedchamber incursion [at Buckingham Palace]" (published 27th July 1982). "[7] He spent the next three months in a psychiatric hospital[8] before being released on 21 January 1983. 30Martha Cook lived her life as an adventurer, never shying away from a chance. Michael T. "Mike" Fagan, 71, of Meadowlakes, Texas, passed away July 28, 2015, at his home. He breaks into the queens bedroom because he wants her to know how people like him were left behind by the conservative, deregulated state. ", Sir Brian May believes Freddie Mercury would've been 'honoured long ago' if he were, King Charles III Coronation playlist: Classic songs from The Beatles, Queen, Tom Jones, Smooth's All Time Top 500 with Eamonn Kelly. She went past me and ran out of the room; her little bare feet running across the floor.". He broke an ashtray, managing to cut his hand. In 1972, he married his wife Christine, with whom he had four children. Regina is Latin for "queen.". Finally, the authorities arrived and removed Fagan from the premises. Not mentioned by any news outlet or even by Fagan himself. On July 9, 1982, at around 7:15 AM, Queen Elizabeth II .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}awoke with a start. Michael Fagan does claim to have broken into Buckingham Palace twice, as shown on The Crown. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. One audience member wasn't pleased: Fagan himself. The day after he was released, he went back to the palace. The right to work, the right to be ill, the right to be old, the right to be frail, to be humangone.. The first time was on June 7, 1982 after his wife had left him. She is believed to have said "What are you doing here?" He was unemployed at the time of the break-ins. [5][1], Since Fagan's actions were, at the time, a civil wrong rather than a criminal offence, he was not charged with trespassing in the Queen's bedroom. "I was scareder than I'd ever been in my life," Fagan said of what happened next. Michael D. Pitman: Column: Hamilton centenarian never shied from an Michael Fagan, who gained access to Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom in Buckingham Palace in 1982. I was waiting to be captured, he said during his trial for theft of the bottle of wine. [4], A subsequent police report was critical of the competence of officers on duty, as well as a system of confused and divided command. In 2019, Fagan told The Mirror that the Queen left before they could speak: "She went past me and ran out of the room; her little bare feet running across the floor.". "It was just a moment of madness. Hastings isn't the first character created especially for The Crown - the show also featured Churchill's fictional secretary in season one. However, he was acquitted of that charge by a jury in September 1982. Aged 73 in 2022, Michael Fagan is reportedly still living in London. "It was harder to get out than get in. .css-lwn4i5{display:block;font-family:Neutra,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:-0.01rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;text-align:center;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-lwn4i5:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}35 Celebrity Relationships That Upset Fans, Celebrities You Didn't Know Had Famous Moms, 30 Celebrity Feuds That Were Never Resolved, Celebrity Couples from 50 Years You Forgot About, We Ranked Every Single Adam Sandler Movie, 34 'Bridgerton' Fun Facts to Fuel Your Obsession, Where Youve Seen the Cast of Bridgerton Before, A Look Back at Nearly Four Decades of 'Jeopardy! Smooth's All Time Top 500 with Eamonn Kelly He claims the Queen simply asked, "What are you doing here?" ", Curiously, Fagan added: "Everything about it is fiction. By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Among the men and women standing in line in the dole queue was Fagan, a painter and decorator who was destined to cause one of the worst royal security breaches in modern memory, when he broke into Buckingham Palace and entered the Queen's bedroom, carrying a piece of broken glass. She went past me and ran out of the room; her little bare feet running across the floor.". On July 9, 1982, Buckingham Palace faced one of its biggest security breaches in modern history. Queen thought Michael Fagan was 'drunk staff member' | UK News - Metro I walked straight in, Fagan later said of the incident. And then there was the break-up of Michael's marriage to also consider. The Crown gets that much right. I hadn't thought about going in there until that last second when it came into my head to do it, so I was shocked.". Though The Crown depicts otherwise, Fagan was undetected. An out-of-work painter and decorator with convictions for heroin dealing and a number of petty crimes, Fagan was struggling after the breakdown of his marriage - his wife, Christine, had left. He was also "barefooted and wearing a t-shirt," according to the BBC. As he sits on the bus driving past Buckingham Palace, he is inspired to break in by scaling a fence and entering the grounds. Shortly thereafter, Fagan received an psychiatric evaluation and spent three months in a psychiatric hospital.

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